FITSPACE BLOG

March 15, 201610:49 AM

Sip on This

Planning to party like you're actually Irish?

Or just another evening of leftovers and want to pour yourself a glass of wine?

Whatever the occasion, you'll need more than the luck of the Irish to keep headaches at bay and extra pounds away. FITSPACE registered dietitians have the tools to ensure a successful evening and day after.

So what to drink? And when?

Possibly the most important tip isn't what you put in your glass, it's what you put on your plate, according to Fitspace registered dietitians. Before you head out, twist off or uncork, eat something. It's important to stabilize the body's blood sugar throughout the night by eating something with good protein, fiber and fat. If you don't eat beforehand, order an appetizer once you arrive at the bar or restaurant. The same goes for a meal at home. Eat before you drink."You do not want to go into drinking hungry."Good choices include chicken wings and celery, guacamole and veggies or hummus and veggies, she said. And since it's the holiday that everyone loves to celebrate this week, why not get festive with a Reuben sandwich of corned beef, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut, light on the rye bread and thousand island dressing, said Fitspace registered dietitian Alex Shepp. When you do order a drink, choose low-sugar, whether it's wine, beer or hard alcohol, Horner said.

For wine: Drink dry white wines such as sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. A dry white wine typically has about 1/2 teaspoon of sugar in it. By comparison, sweet white wine such as Moscato will have about 4 teaspoons of sugar. Pinot grigio, some proseccos and drier rieslings are in the mid-range. Dry red wines include cabernet, Chianti, and French malbec. Mid-range reds include merlot, malbec and shiraz. Sweet reds include pinot noir and petit syrah. It's best to ask the server for recommendations or look up the information beforehand, if possible.

For vodka and tequila: Drink over ice or mix with club soda. Avoid tonic water, which is high in sugar. Add lemon or lime, the acid from which will aid blood sugar control. Not all vodkas are glutenfree, if that is an issue. Read labels. Ciroc, Ketel One, Prairie Organic and Tito's are gluten free.

For beer:Avoid non-hoppy. Light beers have about 95 calories and half the carbs as regular beers.

Ciders:Avoid those that are high in sugar, and most are. On the positive side, they are gluten free.

Cocktails:Avoid, as most are very high in sugar. Daiquiris and pina colada, for example, can contain up to 1,000 calories and 15 teaspoons of sugar, nearly four times as much as a glass of the sweetest wine.

Diet sodas:Avoid adding diet sodas to hard alcohol. The artificial sweeteners still make you crave carbohydrates and sweet foods.

Water:Aim for a glass for every glass of alcohol. It will help counteract the alcohol, which can make you dehydrated and can lead to headaches.

Green beer once a year?

It turns out, there is no naturally occurring green beer, and no matter how much you ingest this St. Patrick’s Day, it will not impart chlorophyll. Sorry. Take a pass on the food coloring-laden brew and avoid inflaming your body unnecessarily.

Slow going

A couple of drinks in, not only does your speech slow, your metabolism does as well. That’s because your body shifts its focus from fat burning to ridding itself of the toxin you are ingesting (alcohol.) Because the metabolism is even slower than usual, eating processed carbs is even more dangerous for the waistline than usual. Add to that the amount of sugar in most alcoholic drinks, and the issue quickly compounds itself.

Hit the Gym

It may seem counterintuitive, but if the night didn’t go as planned (or maybe it did) and you drank too much, wake up the next morning and hit the gym. Drink water, and work out the toxins. You’ll feel better faster. A glass of water with lime juice and ¼ teaspoon of Himalayan sea salt or another mineral salt will help restore electrolytes and stabilize blood sugar.